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Raad-2

Iranian self-propelled howitzer

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General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionAug 12, 2026
Entity authorityQ2124805 ↗
Source-derived summary

Raad-2 (Persian:رعد-۲ 'Thunder-2') is an Iranian self-propelled howitzer.

Development

In early September 1997, it was reported that Iran had successfully tested a locally built rapid fire mobile field gun known as Raad-2 (Thunder-2).

It uses a turret that has a similar layout to the M109A1 155mm/39-cal self-propelled howitzer. The Iranian Defense Industries Organization claimed that the 155 mm HM44 howitzer manufactured by the Hadid facility of the Iranian Defense Industries Organization had a high firing rate and accuracy. The gun's range was reported as 30 km (19 mi), and it also includes features such as a laser range-finder and a semi-automatic loading system.

The gun looks exactly like 155mm/39-cal M185 gun from M109A1 and is fitted with a double baffle muzzle brake, fume extractor, screw breech mechanism, hydro-pneumatic recuperator and a hydraulic recoil brake. DIO says that the barrel life is around 5,000 rounds.

The vehicle uses a chassis based on the T-72, distinctive due to the cover of the cooling fan on the chassis. The hull is apparently based on the BMP-1.

The Raad-2 is crewed by 5 persons, with the driver stationed at the left with the power pack at the right.

Editorial summary

Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Raad-2” is iranian self-propelled howitzer. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Raad-2, Iranian and self-propelled, not as a finished interpretation.

Editorial reviewA dependable orientation record for establishing vocabulary, names and a first evidence trail. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1997—that can be checked directly. The linked authority record independently contributes the date 1997. For this dossier, Raad-2, Iranian and self-propelled is the immediate research focus.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The phrase “iranian self-propelled howitzer” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.

Evidence profile

Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 12, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2124805. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1997.

Critical limits

The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Raad-2” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.